


Gold Saucer

by Burgie



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/F, Miqo'te WoL, female WoL
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2020-01-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:47:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22382068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: Veronyka takes her girlfriend to the Gold Saucer to destress a little before an important Ala Mhigan dinner. Takes place around the Stormblood afterstory.
Relationships: Lyse Hext/Warrior of Light
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	Gold Saucer

As she stepped into the Gold Saucer, the bright lights reflecting off the shiny, polished surfaces, Veronyka remembered the first time that she’d come here. She’d been so much… younger, then. More innocent. Jack had tried to keep her away from the gambling tables, she remembered, worrying about her being corrupted. About her being too naïve. That still hadn’t stopped her curious eyes from landing on the Triple Triad tables, though, her feet from wandering over, tail flicking up at the tip behind her as her ears perked up.

She’d come here a few times since, playing cards with the ‘experts’ and somehow winning every time. She played it with other people around the realm, too, collecting their hard-earned Manderville Gold Points and a few of their Triple Triad cards. She’d even found a few of the cards in dungeons, hidden in boss rooms or treasure coffers. Not even Garleans were safe from her little hobby.

But today, Veronyka hadn’t come to the Gold Saucer to play Triple Triad. Though the tables were calling her name… she didn’t really want to move far from the woman she’d brought with her.

“So, this is the Gold Saucer, huh?” said Lyse, gazing around the place. “It’s… nice. Fancy.” But Veronyka could see by the glitter in her eyes, the way her feet wouldn’t stay still in her huge red boots, that Lyse liked the look of this place already.

“Mhm,” Veronyka hummed, nodding, linking her fingers with Lyse’s. They’d been holding hands since they’d stepped off the airship, and now, as Veronyka watched Lyse look around, she wondered if Lyse was holding so tightly to her hand so that she wouldn’t drift away.

“I’ve heard about this place,” said Lyse, tucking her hair behind her ear with her free hand. “It’s run by the Mandervilles, right?”

“Mostly Godbert,” said Veronyka, glancing around furtively for fear of the man suddenly appearing. He had a bad habit of doing that.

“Does he really have a gold statue of himself here?” Lyse asked, wrinkling her nose.

“Second floor, near the Cactpot tables,” said Veronyka. Lyse burst into laughter.

“Well, now you have to show me,” said Lyse.

“I’ll be sure to stop there on our tour of the place,” said Veronyka, smiling. “But first, the Triple Triad tables are pretty closeby if you wanted to try your hand at that.” Lyse laughed, shaking her head and tugging Veronyka away from the room with the card tables so close to the entrance. Veronyka frowned, lowering her ears and flicking her tail in agitation.

“Oh no, I’m not losing you to them so early in,” said Lyse. “I’ve heard the stories.”

“What?” Veronyka whined, her tail lashing. “I didn’t play cards with that guy in the Forgotten Knight for three hours…”

“I mean, hey, there are worse habits to have,” said Lyse, shrugging.

“I haven’t bought a single MGP with gil for months, actually,” said Veronyka. “So there.”

“You know I’m not judging you, right?” Lyse asked, sudden fear entering her gaze, dulling it.

“Of course,” said Veronyka, pulling her girlfriend into a hug. “You’d never judge me, I know you wouldn’t. You’re just teasing, and I really don’t care about that teasing.”

“You don’t?” Lyse asked, looking into her eyes. Veronyka shook her head, leaning in to plant a kiss on Lyse’s forehead. Despite the long air ship ride here, Lyse smelled quite nice. Citrusy, with just the slightest tang of salt and sand from the desert air.

“I know you don’t mean it in the bad way,” said Veronyka. “Come on, I’ll give you the grand tour that the staff here once gave me.”

“I hope we’re not taking away their bonuses that they might get for giving tours,” said Lyse, worried as she looked at one of the suited employees that they passed. All of the employees of the Saucer wore variations of the same outfit- a fancy suit jacket and black pants with high white socks. Exactly what the gentleman Inspector Hildibrand wore, wherever he happened to be. Veronyka hadn’t spoken to him in a while, and she hoped that he was alright. He should be, though- that man had a habit of surviving anything. 

“I think they get paid handsomely anyway,” said Veronyka. “You… know the reason for the Gold Saucer, don’t you? Apart from helping a rich man get richer, since that’s how a lot of people see it.” She flicked her ear, her earring jingling.

“I’ve heard some things,” said Lyse, shrugging. “Like… apparently Ala Mhigans work here?”

“They do,” said Veronyka, nodding. “And not in the bad way, either- actually, nothing is bad here. It’s all so good, unless someone has a gambling problem. Then it’s less good, I suppose.” She shook her head. “Anyway, Godbert employs Ala Mhigans here almost exclusively, from what I can remember. He made this place as… well, he said that it would be a nice place to come and relax after the Calamity and everything going on in the rest of Eorzea.”

“And is it?” Lyse prompted.

“Of course it is,” said Veronyka. “And before you ask, no, I didn’t come here after the banquet. Because… because I wanted nothing to do with Thanalan, you know? Or the past.” She looked at Lyse, tears standing in her eyes, and was relieved when Lyse pulled her into a tight hug.

“Oh, Nyka, I’m sorry for bringing it up,” Lyse murmured into her hair. Veronyka pulled her head away, sniffing, before gently disentangling herself from the hug.

“It’s okay,” said Veronyka, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand as she stepped back. “You didn’t bring up bad memories, not really.”

“Didn’t I?” Lyse asked. Veronyka shook her head.

“I came here to help you relax,” said Veronyka. “Since you’re stressed about the upcoming meeting and everything.”

“Papalymo would say that I should be focusing on that instead of going off and having fun,” said Lyse, her gaze drifting to the floor.

“Most others would too, I’ll wager,” said Veronyka. She gently gripped her girlfriend’s chin, lifting her face up to look into her eyes. “But they don’t know you like I do. They don’t know that sometimes to solve a problem, you need to go away from the problem and stop thinking about it for a while. And then, when you come back to it, it won’t seem so huge and overwhelming. You just need some fun to take a load off, blow off some steam. And you needed to get out of there and see that the whole world isn’t resting on your shoulders. Even if it feels like it.”

“How do you know me better than I know myself?” Lyse asked, smiling.

“Because I’m like that too,” said Veronyka. “And, contrary to popular belief, I do pay attention. So I know when you’re antsy and need to get out, when you need to just move.”

“Well, I hope there’s moving here,” said Lyse.

“There’s only one lift and that leads to chocobo square so yes, yes there is,” said Veronyka. “Come on, I’ll show you the different rooms first.”

And she did. From event square to round square (“How can a square be round?” “That’s what I said! They wouldn’t answer me”), wonder square, skirting by the card hall so that Veronyka wouldn’t be distracted, up the stairs to the Manderville lounge, and here they stood in front of the golden statue for a few moments.

“Well. That’s certainly a golden statue,” said Lyse, gazing up and down the height of it. “I wonder how much that cost to build. I can’t imagine the Ananta were hired to make it for him.”

“The Mandervilles are… crafters,” said Veronyka. “Well, the parents are. Hildibrand’s a detective. Godbert probably made this himself.”

“Did he have to be naked?” Lyse asked. “Okay, he’s wearing underwear, but still.”

“I’ve seen more of that man than I ever wanted to see of a man,” said Veronyka. Lyse rubbed her back in sympathy, Veronyka relaxing back into the touch with a purr.

“Did you used to think the same of me?” Lyse asked. “Just out of curiosity.”

“I actually had to stop myself from looking at you,” said Veronyka with a laugh. “I didn’t want to seem rude if I was staring.”

“You used to be so shy,” said Lyse. Veronyka laughed.

“Only about that,” said Veronyka, blushing. “Anyway, I’m sure that neither of us has any interest in playing mah-jong, so I’ll show you the smaller games.”

“And what about the events?” Lyse asked. As she spoke, a chime came over the sound system, Veronyka perking her ears up instinctively while Lyse looked around for the source of the noise.

“Attention guests: the limited-time event The Slice is Right is now underway in the Event Square. All guests are encouraged to come on down and participate!” the announcer chirped over the microphone. Veronyka grinned, her tail waving from side to side.

“Ooh, that’s the new one! Come on, let’s both do it,” said Veronyka, grabbing her girlfriend’s hand and dashing for the nearest aethernet shard. They were zipped away in a matter of moments, arriving in the Event Square that now held a good few many other adventurers.

“Ah, two Eorzeans come to try their luck against Yojimbo?” the gentleman, a Doman, in charge of the event asked as the two arrived in front of him.

“Yep,” said Lyse, nodding, both of them grinning and still holding hands. “I’ve never even been here before but I’d love to try it out.”

“Then step up onto the stage and wait for Yojimbo to arrive,” said the man, nodding towards the brightly-lid round stage in the middle of the room. Veronyka led the way, pulling her girlfriend up onto the stage after her.

“I hope it doesn’t feel too strange, having all eyes on you,” said Veronyka as Lyse looked around from her new vantage point.

“Honestly? I don’t even notice it,” said Lyse with a laugh. She looked… excited. A far cry from the woman who’d been on the verge of tears of stress and frustration only hours ago before they’d crossed the border into Gridania and taken an airship from the Carline Canopy to the Gold Saucer.

“Good, I’m glad,” said Veronyka, smiling at her.

“Now, what exactly do we do here?” Lyse asked, looking around.

“Oh,” said Veronyka. “Well, Yojimbo appears and cuts these big bamboo poles into many segments. You have to watch the way he cuts them and then watch the way they’re falling and move into the safe spots. Then, at some points, he puts down coins and you have to grab them before his dog thing can. It’s very fun.”

“Sounds like it,” said Lyse, seeing the way Veronyka’s eyes lit up. “Are you any good at it?”

“I’m well-acquainted with the ground,” said Veronyka, flattening her ears and blushing. Lyse laughed at her, kissing her cheek. But, abruptly, she had to jump away as a circle lit up beneath her, Veronyka moving away too as a strange-looking man appeared, draped in what looked like silk curtains. He said something about a sword that he summoned, before a large bamboo pole emerged from the middle of the stage. Lyse watched it intently, moving quickly on her feet to get away from the falling pieces. Veronyka moved too, grinning at her girlfriend from where she’d ended up.

This continued for a few rounds of slices, though Veronyka began to slow a little while Lyse came alive, grinning and bouncing on her toes.

She reacted just as quickly when Veronyka made a mistake and looked up, gasping, to find a green pole falling towards her.

“Nyka!” Lyse cried, diving in front of her girlfriend. The two came off the stage entirely, Veronyka landing on her back with an ‘oof’ with Lyse on top of her.

“Dammit,” Veronyka muttered, ears lowered. “I thought I was standing in the right place.”

“Are you alright?” Lyse asked, quickly scrambling off her girlfriend and holding out a hand to help her up. “Sorry I kind of threw myself at you, but…”

“It’s okay, you were nobly saving my life,” said Veronyka with a giggle. Concern still glimmered in Lyse’s blue eyes, but the corners of her lips were slowly starting to twitch upward in a smile.

“That was fun, though,” said Lyse. “It’s been a while since I’ve just had fun like that.”

“Does that mean I should bring you here more often?” Veronyka teased. Lyse leaned in to kiss her.

“Maybe,” said Lyse. “Okay, definitely.” Veronyka laughed. “Just don’t abandon me for the card tables.” Veronyka pouted at her, though she smiled when Lyse stroked a hand over her ear.


End file.
